Driving mechanism for mechanical stokers.



No. 670,804. Patented Mar. 26, 190i. H. R. NELSON.

DRIVING MECHANISM FOR MECHANICAL STUKERS.

(Application filed Aug. 23, 1900.1 (N0 Mqdal.) 3 Shoals-Shea! I.

WITNESSES.

INVENTOR HENRY FLNELSQN G MW g Hl3 ATTORNEYS w: "cams PEYEHS cu.Pmvvnnwq, msmNowu, u rv H. R. NELSON.

DRIVING MECHANISM FOR MECHANICAL SIOKERS. (Application filed Aug. 23.1900.;

. 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

No. 670,804. Patented Mar. 26, l90l.

(No Mode'l.)

PIC-3.2.

INvENTon HENRY R. NELEON mp M E Hi5 ATTORNEYS No. 670,804. .-Pafentedmarlzs, |9o|' H. a. ason. V h

DRIVING MECHANISM FOR MECHANICAL STUKERS.

7 (Application filed Aug. 23, 1900. 480 Model. 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

' )NvENToR WITNESSES HENRY R. NELSON m: Norms PETERS 00., PNDTO-LI'TNO.wlsmuorom a. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY R. NELSON, OF GALES, MINNESOTA.

DRIVING MECHANISM FOR MECHANICAL STOKERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 670,804, dated March26, 1901.

Application filed August 23, 1900. Serial No. 27,758. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY R. NELSON, of

Gales, Minnesota, have invented certain new,

618,717 and 648,777.

One object of my invention is to provide means for preventing the stokerfrom being driven backward when the engine or other driving apparatus towhich the stoker may be attached is reversed.

A further object is to prevent the stoker from choking or overloadingthe fire-box with fuel.

The invention consists generally in providing means connecting theengine and stoker, whereby the forward movement of the latter will notbe affected when the engine is reversed.

Further, the invention consists in providing means for automaticallystarting and stopping the stoker when the fuel in the fire-box hasfallen below or risen above a certain predetermined point.

Further-,the invention consists in providing means whereby the speed ofthe mechanism for driving the stoker may be changed and the feed of thefuel increased or diminished.

Further, the invention consists in various constructions andcombinations, all as hereinafter described, and particularly pointed outin the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure1 is a plan view of a portion of a traction-engine with my improvedStoker-driving mechanism applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a side elevation ofthe same. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section of an enginefire-box and boiler with the driving mechanism for the stoker mountedthereon. Fig. 4 is a detail of the shifting mechanism. Fig. 5 is asection on the line a; a; of Fig. 4. Figs. 6 and 7 are details of thestarting and stopping mechanism and of the speed-changing mechanism.

In the drawings, 2 represents the boiler of a traction-engine, 3 thefire-box whereon the mechanical stoker apparatus is supported,

and 4 the fuel-hopper or fire-chute, into which the fuel usually straw,is fed by the mech-' anism of the stoker. The portion of the stokerwhich I have shown herein is similar to the mechanism described andclaimed in Letters Patent No. 648,777, referred to above, and need notbe described in detail in this application, it being sufficient to statethat the stoker is connected to the fire-box in substantially the samemanner as in the patent referred to and operates in substantially thesame way, my invention lying in the driving mechanism that connects thestoker with the driving parts of the engine.

5 is the fly-wheel of the engine, and 6 the di'ivingshaft whereon Iarrange a sprocketwheel 7. Secured to the engine-boiler, near thedriving-shaft 6, is a base 8, whereon a shaft 9 is mounted in bearings10. Beveled gears 11 and 12 are loosely mounted on said shaft, andbetween said gears, supported in bearings 13 on said base, is a shortstub-shaft 14, substantially at right angles to the shaft 9 and having abeveled gear secured to its inner end in position to engage the teeth ofthe gears 11 and 12. On the outer end of the shaft 14 I provide asprocket 16, connected with the sprocket on the driving-shaft by a chain17, whereby the shaft 14 and the gear 15 are driven when the engine isoperated in either direction.

Between the geaiwheels l1 and 12 on the shaft 9 I provide a block 18,secured on the shaft by a pin 19 and having a socket 20 to receive ashort stud 21, on which a double catch or pawl 22 is secured by a pin23. The upper end of the stud 21 is supported within a socket in abracket 24, secured to the block 18. The pawl 22 is provided with anotch 25, within which I provide a pin 26, having its lower end securedin the block and its upper end fitting in the socket in the bracket 24.A spring 27 has one end inserted within a socket in the stud 21 and itsopposite end coiled about and secured to the pin 26. This spring tendsto hold the double pawl in such a position that the pin 26 will bemidway of the notch in the edge of the pawl, and movement of the pawl ineither direction will put the spring under tension to return the pawlthen be locked on its shaft and power will be,

transmitted tothe mechanism, hereinafter described, to operate thestoker. When the engine is driven in the opposite direction, the pin 29will engage the opposite end of the pawl and move the same to the limitof its stroke, when the Wheel 12 will be locked on its shaft and theshaft driven in the same direction as before to drive the stokermechanism forward while the engine is being reversed. With thisconstruction it is immaterial whether the engine be driven forward orbackward, as far as the operation of the stoker mechanism is concerned,as the mechanism above described will cause the stoker to be drivenforward regardless of the direction that the engine or other apparatusto which the stoker may be attached is being driven.

Loosely mounted on the shaft 9 is a coneshaped gear-wheel 30, havinggears 31 and 32 of different size to permit variation in the speed ofthe mechanism. On the flat face of the gear-wheel I pivot a trip-leveror dog 33, and a spring 34, mounted on said wheel and connected withsaid trip-lever, normally holds the same in position,-so that a lug 35thereon will be engaged by one of the rollers 36, mounted on the ends ofa cross-head 37, that is keyed on the shaft 9. A lever 38 is pivoted ona bracket 39, mounted on thebase 8, and a lug 39 is provided on saidlever in position to engage the trip-lever 33 when the lever 38 is movedforward. Mounted in bearings on the top of the fire-box is a rock-shaft40, having an eyelet 41 at one end and a crankarm 42 at the other. A pin43 fits within said eyelet and is adapted to project down through a hole44 in the top of the fire-box, so that the pin will be engaged by thefuel as it is advanced-into the box. The crank-arm 42 is pivotallyconnected with the lever 38 by a rod'45, so that when the shaft isrocked by the movement of the pin 43 the lever 38 will be operated toswing the trip-lever 33 out of engagement with the cross-head rollers orto release said trip-lever and permit it to return to its normalposition. A spring 46 connects the lever 38 with the bracket 39 andreturns said lever and the rock-shaft 40 to their nor dotted lines inFig. 3, rocking the shaft 40 and operating the lever 38 against thetension of its spring. A pivoted dog 38 engaging a notch in the rim ofthe wheel 30 prevents it from turning backward when out of gear. Thisforward movement of the lever 38 will throw the trip-lever 33 to theposition indicated by full lines in Fig. 6, where its lug 35 will be outof engagement with the cross-head and the gear-wheel 30 will be free toturn on its shaft and the stoker mechanism connected therewith bestopped. 4

Any suitable means may be provided for driving the stoker mechanism fromthe gearwheel 30; but I prefer to provide the devices shown herein,which consist in a rod or shaft 47,"having its lower end supported in abearing48,which permits its upper end to be raised slightly, andprovided with a beveled pinion 49 to engage the correspondi ugly-shapedteeth of a gear-wheel 50, from which the stoker mechanism is operated.Opposite the upper end of the shaft 47 I provide arms or brackets 51 and52, having bearings for a rocking arm 53, provided with a handle portion54. Short parallel arms 55 and 56 are provided on the rocking arm 53,and said short arms have bearings in their outer ends for the shaft 47.Between the arms 55 and 56 on the shaft 47 I provide a gear-wheel 57,held against rotation on said shaft by a feather 58, which permits thefree sliding movement of said gearwheel on said shaft and the convenientadjustment of said wheel to engage either the 1 gear 31 or 32, accordingto the speed desired. Between the arms 51 and 52 I provide a bar 59,having notches 60 and 61 to receive the arm 56 when the gear-wheel 57 isin engagement with one of the gears 31 and 32. Aspring 62 normally holdsthe arm 56 in one of said notches until disengaged therefrom by therocking of the arm 53. When the operator desires to change the speed ofthe stoker mechanism, he grasps the handle 54 and rocks the arm 53,lifting the arms 55 and 56 and the shaft 47 and disengaging thegear-wheel 57 from either of the gears 31 or 32 with which it may be inengagement. The gear-wheel 57 is then moved along the shaft 47 until itis in proper position to engage the teeth of the other gear, when therocking arm is returned to its normal position, throwing the gears intomesh and continuing the operation of the stoker. The stoker having beenset in operation, it will gradually fill the fire-chute and force, thefuel back into the fire-box, and when the space above the grate has beenfilled up to a certain predetermined point, depending upon the length ofthe pin 43, the fuel will engage the lower end of said pin and tilt thesame to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3. This movement, asheretofore described, will operate the lever 38, release the gear-wheel30, and permit the stoker mechanism'to stop. When the pin returns to itsnormal position after the fuel has become low in the fire-box, thestoking mechanism will be set in motion automatically and fuel again fedinto the fire-box. The operation of feeding fuel to the engine is thusautomatically controlled by a mechanism that is both positive andaccurate in its operation. If during the operation of the stoker theattendant desires to reverse the engine, he can do so without in any wayafiecting the stoker mechanism, and should he at anytime desire tochange the speed of the stoker he can readily do so by the mechanismheretofore described.

The stoker mechanism is designed particularly for use withtraction-engines using straw for fuel; but it will be understood thatthe apparatus may be attached to the boilers of stationary engines orfurnaces and adapted to feed various kinds of fuel thereto.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim as new and desire to securebyLetters Patent- 1. The combination, with a fire-box, of a mechanicalstokersecured thereon and adapted to feed fuel thereto, a driving-shaft,a driven shaft connected with said drivingshaft, a gear on said drivenshaft, a second driven shaft, gears loosely mounted thereon and meshin gwith the gear on said first-nam ed driven shaft, operating meansconnecting said second driven shaft with said stoker, and a doublespring-pawl provided between said loosely-mounted gears for alternatelylocking them on said second driven shaft, whereby said stoker will bedriven forward when said first-named driven shaft is driven forward orbackward, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with a fire-box, of a mechanical stoker securedthereon adapted to feed fuel thereto, a driving-shaft, a driven shaftconnected therewith, a beveled gear secured on said driven shaft, asecond driven shaft, gears loosely mounted thereon and engaging the gearon said first driven shaft, lugs provided on said loosely-mounted gears,a double pawl provided between said gears in position to be engagedbysaid lugs,a spring for normally holding said pawl in a centralposition, means for limiting the movement of said pawl, whereby saidloosely-mounted gears will be locked on their shaft alternately as saiddriven shaft is driven forward or reversed, and operative meansconnecting said second driven shaft with said stoker, substantially asdescribed.

3. The combination, with a drivingeshaft, of a driven shaft connectedtherewith, abeveled pinion mounted on said driven shaft, a second drivenshaft, beveled pinions loosely mounted thereon in position to mesh withthe pinion on said first driven shaft, lugs or pins provided on saidlooselymounted pinions and extending into the space between the same, adouble spring-pawl provided between said loosely-mounted pinions andhaving a limited swinging movement and adapted to be engaged by saidlugs to alternately lock said loosely-mounted gears and operate saidsecond driven shaft, when said driving-shaft is driven forward orreversed, substantially as described.

at. The combination, with a fire-box, of a mechanical stokersecuredthereon and adapted to feed fuel thereto, adriving-shaft, asuitabledriven mechanism connected With said stoker, means operativelyconnecting said driving-shaft and said driven mechanism, and meansoperated by the contact of fuel in the fire-box for actuating saidconnecting means to release said driven mechanism, substantially asdescribed.

5. The combination, with a fire-box, of a mechanical stoker securedthereon and adapted to feed fuel thereto, a driving-shaft, a drivenmechanism connected therewith and with said stoker, whereby the latteris operated, and means provided in connection with said driven mechanismand projecting through the wall of saidfire-box to be operated by thepressure of the fuel therein to stop said mechanism and said stoker,substantially as described.

6. The combination, with a fixed fire-box, of a mechanical stokersecured thereon and adapted to feed loose straw thereto, a drivingshaft,asuitable driven mechanism interposed between said driving-shaft andsaid stoker and whereby the latter is operated, a rocking deviceprovided in. connection with said tirebox and operated by the pressureof the loose straw within the same, for disconnecting said drivingmechanism from said shaft and arresting the operation of said stoker andthe advance of st raw into said fire-box, substantially as described.

7. The combination in a traction-engine, with a fixed fire-box, of amechanical stoker secured thereon and adapted to feed loose strawthereto, a driving-shaft, a driven shaft connected with saiddriving-shaft, operative connections provided between said driven shaftand said stoker, a gear loosely mounted on said driven shaft, alockingdevice for normally securing said gear on said driven shaft, andmeans provided on said fire-box and connected with said locking deviceand operated by the pressure of straw within said boxfor releasing saidgear and stopping said stoker when the straw in said box has risen abovea certain predetermined point.

8. The combination, with a fire-box, of a mechanical stok er securedthereon and adapted to feed fuel thereto, a driving'shaft, a drivenshaft connected therewith, operative means connecting said driven shaftwith said stoker, a gear loosely mounted on said driven shaft, a lockingdevice for normally locking said gear on said shaft, and means adaptedto be actuated by the contact of fuel in said fi rebox for automaticallyoperating said locking device to release said gear and stop said stoker,substantially as described.

9. The combination, with a fire-box, of a mechanical stoker securedthereon and adapted to feed fuel thereto, a driving-shaft, a drivenshaft connected therewith, operative means provided between said drivenshaft and said stoker, a gear loosely mounted on said driven shaft, alocking device for normally locking said gear on said shaft, a rockshaftmounted on said fire-box, a pin sup ported by said rock-shaft andprojecting through the wall of said fire-box into position to be engagedby the fuel therein, suitable connections provided between saidrock-shaft and said locking device whereby when said pin is operated bythe pressure of fuel within said box, said locking device will bedisengaged from said gear-wheel, substantially as described.

10. The combination, with a fire-box, of a mechanical stoker securedthereon and adapted to feed fuel thereto, a driving-shaft, a drivenshaft connected therewith, operative connections provided between saiddriven shaft and said stoker, a gear loosely mounted on said drivenshaft, a locking device for normally locking said gear on said shaft, alever adapted to engage said locking device and release said gear, meansprovidedon said firebox and projecting into the same and connected withsaid lever and operated by the pressure of the fuel in said box tooperate said lever and release said gear and stop said stoker, and meansfor returning said lever and fuel-operated means to their normalposit-ion to permit said gear to be locked on its shaft and said stokerstarted when the fuel'in said box falls below a certain predeterminedpoint.

11. The combination, with a fire-box, of a mechanical stoker securedthereon and adapted to feed fuel thereto, a driving-shaft, a drivenshaft connected therewith, a gearwheel 30 loosely mounted on said drivenshaft and having gears 31 and 32, means for normally locking saidgear-wheel on said shaft, a shaft 47 provided between said driven shaftand said stoker, a gear-wheel 57 slidably arranged thereon and means formoving said gear-wheel 57 back and forth on said shaft 47 to alternatelyengage said gears 31 and 32 to change the speed of said stoker,substantially as described.

12. The combination, with a fire-box, of a mechanical stoker securedthereon and adapted to feed fuel thereto, a driving-shaft, a drivenshaft connected therewith, a gearwheel having gears 31 and 32 mounted onsaid driven shaft, a shaft 47 provided between said driven shaft andsaid stoker, a gearwhee157 slidably mounted on said shaft 47 and adaptedto mesh with either of said gears 31 and 32, a rocking arln supportednear said shaft 47, arms 55 and 56 provided on said rocking arm andsupporting said shaft 47 upon each side of the hub of said wheel 57,means for locking said arm 56 to prevent accidental sliding of saidgear-wheel 57 on its shaft, and means for tilting said rocking arm torelease said arm 56 and permit said gear= wheel to be moved on saidshaft 47 to vary the speed of said stoker, substantially as described.

13. The combination, in a traction-engine, with a fire-box, of amechanical stoker secured thereon and adapted to feed straw thereto,adriving-shaft, a driven shaft connected therewith, operative meansprovided between said driven shaft and said stoker, a pin provided onsaid fire-box and projecting through the wallof the same into positionto be engaged by the straw therein, and suitable connections providedbetween said pin and said driven shaft, whereby when the straw rises toa certain predetermined height in the fire-box and said pin is operatedby the pressure of the same said driven shaft will be disconnected fromsaid stoker, for the purpose specified.

14. The combination, with a fire-box, of a mechanical stoker adapted tofeed fuel thereto, a suitable mechanism wherefrom said stoker isoperated, a pin provided on said firebox and projecting through the wallof the same in position to be engaged and actuated by the pressure ofthe fuel therein, and operative means connecting said pin and thedriving mechanism for said stoker, whereby said. stoker will be stoppedwhen the fuel in the fire-box rises above a certain predetermined point.

15. In a device of the class described, the combination, with a drivenshaft, of a gear loosely mounted therein, a dog 33, a crosshead 37secured on said shaft and normally engaging said dog, a lever 38 adaptedwhen operated to engage said dog, a pin projecting through the wall ofthe fire-box and adapted to be operated by the pressure of the fueltherein, and means connecting said pin and said lever, substantially asdescribed.

16. The combination, with a fire-box and means for automatically feedingfuel thereto, of a pin extending through the wall of said box, andoperative connections provided between said pin and said feeding means,for the purpose specified.

17. The combination, with a fire-box, and

means for automatically feeding straw thereto, of means provided in thewall of said box and operated by the contact of fuel therein, andoperative connections provided between said operated means and saidfeeding means, whereby the operation of the latter will be arrested whenthe fuel rises above a certain predetermined point in the fire-box.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 18th day of August,1900.

HENRY R. NELSON.

In presence of W. O. GILRUTH, LIZZIE HOUSTON.

